Playoff Watch 2019: Analyzing postseason picture post-Michigan

By Staff Report | Tuesday, August 13, 2019

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From now until the Sept. 8 regular-season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR.com will analyze the playoff picture on Mondays. Here's how the postseason looks through 23 regular-season races (out of 26) after Kevin Harvick's win at Michigan International Speedway and before the trip to Bristol Motor Speedway. A few reminders:

-- All point totals are reset to 2,000 for the 16 eligible playoff drivers.

-- Drivers earn 5 playoff points for each of their regular-season wins.

-- Drivers earn 1 playoff point for each stage win.

-- The top 10 finishers in the regular-season standings earn playoff points on a sliding scale, starting with 15 points for the Regular Season Champion and ending with one point for the 10th-place finisher.

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Missing the cut

Daniel Suarez made the biggest gain among those out of the playoff picture. He was 23 below the cutoff line headling into Michigan, a number he trimmed to six after a top-five finish. Jimmie Johnson, meanwhile, dropped to 12 points below the final playoff spot.

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16. Ryan Newman, 2,000 points

Qualified via: Points

Stage wins: 0

Note: Newman just won't go away in this playoff chase. Being 16 points above the cutline heading into Bristol? Put his odds at better than 50 percent to make the NASCAR Playoffs.

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15. Clint Bowyer, 2,000 points

Qualified via: Points

Stage wins: 0

Note: Just a miserable weekend for Bowyer at Michigan. Competing for a top finish and with bubble driver Jimmie Johnson hampered after an early smack of the wall, Bowyer was involved in a wreck and finished 37th. He's just six points above teammate Daniel Suarez for the final spot.

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14. Erik Jones, 2,000 points

Qualified via: Points

Stage wins: 0

Note: Jones said he's going to go get a win at Bristol. Would you really be surprised? The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been on a tear this summer.

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13. Aric Almirola, 2,001 points

Qualified via: Points

Stage wins: 1

Note: Almirola dropped two positions in the regular-season standings, the result of which eliminated two playoff points and moved him from 10th to 13th in the playoff standings.